ANDREA FORD OF RE:STYLE STUDIO SHOWS US HOW TO MAKE A PATCHWORK OTTOMAN CUBE COVER

I love hearing from Andrea Ford over at RE:Style Studio in Toronto as she offers us lessons and inspiration in a “branch” of sewing that not many of us are very familiar with. Today she shares how to make a Patchwork Ottoman cube cover.

Andrea has a studio in Toronto specializing in Custom Home furnishings and upholstery as well as offering workshops to people interested in learning how to do these types of projects. Andrea is one of our Janome Canada Artisans, uses our Janome 1600P machines in her workshop and classroom and contributes regularly to janomelife blog. Thank you, Andrea.

PATCHWORK OTTOMAN CUBE COVER

We all need more storage in our lives. And some vessels available in big box stores that do double duty for storage and seating – a collapsible storage ottoman – are so versatile. However, these little cubes often only come in a few colours. Skip the blah and add a bit of softness with our patchwork storage ottoman cover project. You’ll still have great access to what’s stuffed inside and can even launder it if you have kids or pets making a mess of nice things.

Supplies needed: 

15”wide x 15” deep x 15” high

– 4 different prints/solid fabrics cut into a total of 38pc x 8”x 8” squares

– Coordinating thread

– Scissors/rotary cutter

• Ruler
• Cutting mat

– Measuring tape

– Chalk

– 15x15x15” storage ottoman cube available at Walmart, KitchenStuffPlus, etc. Dimensions can be adjusted based on the ottoman box you have.

THE PROCESS:

1. Cut all pieces in 8×8” squares, allowing for 1/4” seam allowance on all seams. We allowed for an even distribution of prints on the main cover (3 of each print) and distributed the skirt evenly.

2. Lay out squares, alternating prints to plan patch placement.

3. With wrong sides together, sew 2 chains of 4 squares with 1/4” seam allowance. Sew these 2 chains together for a 2×4 piece panel, matching corners carefully. Press seams.

4. Sew 4 pieces of 2 squares together. Repeat for opposite side. Attach to the 2×4 centre panel. Press seams.

5. With wrong sides together, sew corner squares together to create a cube shape. Press seams.

6. With wrong sides together, sew a chain of 25 squares together to create the skirt.

 

7. Press vertical seams.
8. Sew a narrow roll hem on bottom edge of band.

9. Mark centre point of band. Change stitch length on machine to the longest stitch. With extra long bobbin and spool thread, sew a basting stitch along top 1/2” of band. Stop at centre point, cut thread with long tails. Extend bobbin and spool thread and start basting stitch to end.

10. Join ends of skirt band. Press seam. Gently pull at bobbin thread of basting seam to gather skirt band. Tie ends.

11. Ease gathered skirt to match seams on opposite sides of cube top. Wrong sides together, pin skirt to raw bottom edge of cube top.

12. Change machine stitch length to standard stitch. Sew gathered skirt to cube top.
13. Press gathered seam down. Turn right side out. Top stitch or stitch in the ditch along top of gathered edge to secure skirt. Press.

Good information from our Janome Artisan, Andrea Ford of RE:Style Studio.

What piece of household furniture do you need to cover? 

FREE MOTION FEAR?

Pic courtesy of http://www.amysquiltingadventures.com

We do hear quite  a few comments like: “I don’t like free motion quilting” or “I am afraid of doing Free motion” or “I suck at Free motion quilting”.   Truth is: there is just no getting away from the fact that dropping those feed dogs, taking  a big deep breath, and letting go as you move the fabric under the needle to create quilting designs is a bit scary. The element of control that feed dogs do give us, is gone and this can cause anxiety.

Pic courtesy of Amysquiltingadventures

We have often suggested hints & tips on doing Free motion on janomelife or suggested alternative ways to quilt your quilts…….you may like to do a search in the search box on janomelife home page for Free motion quilting and you will have many posts to read.

Pic courtesy of Amysquiltingadventures

However, practice is the all important thing here. Practice, practice, practice. You cannot escape this reality. We know we have to break through that barrier of fear and let go to be free to free motion……and this only comes with doing it repeatedly and often.

This link offers some good information on free motion quilting.

Pic courtesy of Sew4home

And here are some more links to helpful free motion info:  8 Tips for Free motion quilting by Amy Johnson of Virginia who is a Janome dealer.

And more from Amy

Pic courtesy of sew4home

And a great video from Janome Canada Artisan: Kim Jamieson-Hirst on the Janome Convertible Free motion foot set. and ruler quilting.

Did you know that Janome has a 16 inch sit down free motion quilter which is a dedicated quilting machine offering more space and great features. Check it out. 

AND we recently also introduced Janome’s very first longarm quilter: the Quiltmaker Pro 18 – which may be set up at 4, 8 or 12 feet wide and also has a myriad of fabulous features to excite quilters.

Both of these quilting machines will give you a distinct advantage in your quilting journey…….visit a Janome dealer today to ask about these great additions to our line of sewing and quilting machines.

Are you flying yet?

Have you dropped those feed dogs and taken off on a free motion journey?

Do let us know what you have discovered and what helped you with getting over the fear to fly.

 

Make Labels to Organize EVERYTHING!

I’ve always believed in the saying “a place for everything and everything in it’s place. Labels make organizing quick and easy, and with the help of the fabulous Janome Horizon Memory Craft 15000, Janome’s Top-of-the-Line 3-in-1 machine, it’s also quick and easy to embroider a beautiful label.

 OUR JANOME SUMMER LOOK BOOK HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE!!  I sewed a beach blanket with a big, functional checkerboard in the centre so the kids could use it to play. IT’S PICNIC SEASON! Part 1  I cut pool noodles to use as the game pieces and sewed an accompanying tote bag to hold them when not in use. A BIG label on the side of the bag makes locating – and replacing – the game pieces easy, no questions asked.IT’S PICNIC SEASON! Part 2

A few simple steps is all it took!

Since the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 15000 is ideal for both regular sewing AND embroidery, there is a mode for each, represented in the two sewing machine icons on the bottom of the extra-large touch screen.

Regular sewing/sewing mode  is in Red and Embroidery is Blue. This is indicated by the sewing machine icon in the top left corner of the screen. In this case, the background behind the sewing machine is blue so it’s in Embroidery mode. Incidentally, notice the little WiFi symbol in the top right corner? Janome’s Memory Craft 15000 is THE first sewing machine to be CERTIFIED WiFi.

Push the ABC button and the screen will change to a list of the 11 Fonts from which to choose. I scrolled through and choose “First Grade” which was perfect!

Once the desired font is selected, the screen will change to where the text can be entered and edited. Even the orientation of how it will embroider in the hoop can be changed from horizontal to vertical.

After entering the text and pressing the OK button, the screen will change and a message will pop up which indicates which of the 5 hoops included with the  Janome Memory Craft 15000 should be used. Also indicated on the screen is which presser foot to use – for embroidery it is the “P” foot. I love when a machine does the thinking for me and won’t let me make a mistake! The machine even calculates the number of stitches and how long it will take.

If further editing is desired, simply press the Home icon in the bottom left of the screen to go back to the main embroidery screen, as seen earlier.

The Edit button is below the ABC button – the grid symbol which will then appear on the screen once it’s touched.

Use the included stylus, conveniently housed on the right side of the machine, or simply touch the screen to position your lettering exactly as you wish. In this case, I wanted my label to embroider in the enter of my fabric so I positioned the word over the centre horizontal crosshair of the grid.

The grid on the screen corresponds to the grid on the plastic positioning template which fits in to the centre of the hoop.

After editing is done, touch OK and the screen switches to the Ready to Sew screen. All that remains is to hoop the fabric (use appropriate stabilizer), attach the hoop, and press the Start button. You’re off!

Simply sit back and enjoy the process as you think of more ways to create and organize. Think of how much more time you’ll have to sew!

Combining Quilt Designs on the Janome MC15000 embroidery machine.

One of the features I really like is the editing feature built into my Janome MC15000 machine.  I use my embroidery hoop to create a lot of my quilting designs.  There are so many lovely already digitized quilt designs built into the machine.  All I need to do is edit them to the size hoop I want to use.

When I open the screen for my embroidery designs, I call up the designs I want to use from the built in quilting patterns and then go into the edit mode.  I usually use the GR hoop as it is the largest one for my machine and then I can place multiple elements into that hoop.

On the edit screen I can resize and reposition the elements I want to use to best fill the entire area of the hoop.  I can easily visualize how the design will look as I resize, recolor, and rotate the individual elements into the defined hoop area.

Once I have my design created, I make sure I save it to the USB stick or directly into a folder on the machine.  Once it is saved, I can call it up in the Acufil Tool Horizon Link software program and determine how many hoopings I will need to fill the selected size of quilt I want to create.

Using the plastic template that comes with the hoop (Or better still, use the Acufil hoop with its hard plastic template and 8 magnetic clamps to hoop up the quilt).  Following wash away lines I have drawn on my quilt top, I can then make multiple hoopings across the quilt to fill the area.  Small spaces can then be filled in with free motion quilting (stipple, echo, meander, etc.)  I use a neutral thread that blends with my fabric for this free motion step so that it does not take away from the embroidered designs I have created.

Using this method of quilting with the embroidery hoop always ensures picture perfect quilting designs on my project.

An alternative to doing this editing on the screen of the Janome MC15000:  I can also do the same editing in Embroidery Link Tool in Horizon Link software on my PC or in AcuEdit App on my iPad. 3 options to do essentially the same editing depending on my preferences and needs…….Janome sure gives lots of options to our customers!

 

AFRICAN FASHION WEEK IN TORONTO THIS MONTH

Janome is proud to sponsor African Fashion Week in Toronto this year: 16-20 August at the Royal Ontario Museum. Janome has provided the prizes: a JANOME 1600P for the first place winner and a JANOME PRO4DX SERGER for the second place winner.  And Janome has also provided sewing machines for the free sewing machine workshops to be offered during the week. 

African Fashion Week is one of the most recognized Fashion Weeks in Canada. The program was established by the Fashion Ready Foundation in 2012 and has developed into an internationally-recognized event. AFWT continues to grow each season, creating a community of designers, models and industry professionals who shape this unique experience.

AFWT showcases local, national and international designers by providing a progressive environment for them to promote their creative designs. This multicultural platform supports Toronto’s unique and diverse cultural heritage while contributing to the fashion and tourism market of Canada.

Who We Are: The “Fashion Ready Foundation” is a non for profit organization with a mandate to promote and advocate education of the fashion arts and business by providing scholarships and facilitating internships, mentorships and career programs to support growth and advancement within the global fashion industry.

It is to be held inside one of the largest museums in North America, the Royal Ontario
Museum (ROM) from August 16th – August 20th 2017. You might like to join them as they celebrate arts, culture, fashion, style, and diversity at the fifth edition of one of Toronto’s most anticipated fashion events, African Fashion Week Toronto (AFWT).  The awards ceremony includes a spectacular runway showcase by the “King of Couture” & Celebrity Designer Adebayo Jones.  Red carpet starts at 7:00pm and the award ceremony starts at 8:00pm. This year’s 1st and 2nd place winner will receive a brand new sewing machines courtesy of AFWT’s official Sewing Machine Sponsor Janome Canada.

From Thursday, August 17th to Saturday, August 19th Toronto will be home to more than 30 high fashion designers from Canada and abroad who will be showcasing their premium collections inside the ROM. For the 5th year anniversary, AFWT is honored to welcome fashion icons Tanzanian based designer Diana Magesa and New York based Filipino designer John Ablaza to Canada.

On Sunday, August 20th they will close off AFWT with a fashion exhibition and free sewing machine workshops in partnership with Janome Canada inside the ROM.

Interested in finding out more about this Fashion week or attending the event? Check out their website for details and watch this video.

 

We shine the spotlight on Janome Canada Artisan: Jeannie Jenkins

INTRODUCING JANOME ARTISAN, Jeannie Jenkins who lives in Ontario, Canada and sews on our Janome 1600P .

Jeannie learned to sew when she was 7 years old and began making her own clothes at age 10. Sewing has always been part of her life. After a year in a Fashion Design program, she changed direction slightly and took 3 years at O.C.A.D. graduating in 1982 with a design degree. She has been teaching quilting for more than 25 years and speaks at Quilting Guilds all over Southern Ontario hoping to inspire and encourage both beginner and more advanced quilters. She is a long arm quilter and does custom quilting for customers.   Jeannie reckons if she could sew all day she would be a very happy girl!

Find Jeannie on instagram as itchn2stitch.

Jeannie used her Janome 1600P to contribute this charming picnic game set to the projects that may be found in our  Cross Canada Picnic Look Book. 

Jeannie Jenkins, Janome Canada Artisan,  made this delightful outdoors/picnic checker board complete with little zipper baggie and button style checkers.

Jeannie offers us detailed instructions of how to make this Checkerboard set on this link which may also be found on the www.janomemaker.com website. Thank you, Jeannie!

We look forward to further projects and expertise from Jeannie.

JANOME HORIZON MC9400 – A FIRST LOOK

Kim Jamieson-Hirst of Chatterbox Quilts, recently took delivery of her new Janome MC9400 and is excited to share some discoveries with you. Kim is one of our Janome Canada Artisans.

I recently received a Janome Horizon Memory Craft 9400 QCP (Janome 9400) and I’m excited to share my first impressions of it with you.

There are many new and improved features on this machine:

• automatic needle threader
• automatic presser foot lifter
• improved lighting
• additional thread cutter foot pedal
• NEW professional grade needle plate, to name just a few.

You can watch an overview of these and other features on the Janome MC9400 on my YouTube channel. 

I want to give you a closer look at 3 features on this machine that I know will increase your productivity and allow you to complete your projects quicker.

#1 Improved Lighting
We all know that you have to see to stitch and good lighting is a crucial component of any sewing machine. The Janome MC9400 has amazing lighting! There are lights under the machine neck to illuminate the throat space and bed of the machine, as well as lights at the needle itself. As if this wasn’t enough, there is an additional pullout light on the top, left side of the machine. The retractable High Light™ can be angled to shine the light exactly where you need it in the needle area. When you are done using it, it simply retracts back into the body of the Janome MC9400. I love this lighting feature! All of the lights on the Janome MC9400 are LED, so they stay cool while you stitch and you don’t have to worry about accidentally burning yourself as you move your project around on the machine.

#2 Automatic Presser Foot Lifter
You can now lower the presser foot lower as you start stitching and lift when you stop stitching – automatically! I love using this feature in conjunction with the thread cutter: I just put my fabric under the presser foot and start to stitch: the presser foot comes down automatically and raises automatically when I stop stitching. I press the thread cutter button (or use the foot pedal – another new feature) and the threads are cut automatically too.  I can also program the machine to automatically cut the threads after the tie off/lockstitch has been used. I don’t have to put the presser foot down myself before I start to stitch again, I just start stitching, the presser foot lowers, and there are no thread nests on the back of my project at all! I can see how this feature will be a real timesaver.

You can also adjust the height that the presser foot lifts (hover) when you stop stitching. I like this ability to personalize the settings on the presser foot lifter. I know that the automatic presser foot lifter will be a real help when I am finishing the appliqué edges on my fusible web appliqué projects.#3 Professional Grade Needle Plate and HP Foot
The professional grade needle plate is a single hole needle plate to be used when stitching a straight stitch. The combination of the professional grade needle plate and the HP foot allows you to stitch a perfect ¼” seam. It’s also fantastic for stitching around curves and doing top stitching on garments or other sewing projects. The ¼” foot with the blade on the side of it is still included with the Janome MC 9400 and while it’s very helpful when piecing, I sometimes wish it didn’t have the blade on it. I can now use the new HP foot and still get that perfect scant ¼” seam. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this type of foot from Janome and I will be using it for piecing my quilt tops.There’s one more item that I wanted to mention about the Janome Horizon MC9400 QCP and that is the visibility in the needle plate/sewing area. The body of the machine has been changed so it curves back away from you which allows better visibility in this area. This improved styling allows you to get in really close and see exactly what you’re stitching without having to lower your head.  I find this especially helpful when working on very detailed projects where I need all the help I can get in seeing what I’m stitching. This changed shape comes as a direct result of consumer requests and is an enormous ergonomic benefit.

I can’t wait to piece new quilts (and finish some UFO’s) with the Janome Horizon MC9400QCP. I know that these new features will help me to make more tops in less time and with better results. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to test drive the Janome MC9400, please contact your local dealer to do so. You’re going to love it!

For more information and tutorials on Janome sewing machines please visit:

• www.janome.com
• www.youtube.com/chatterboxquilter

We shine the spotlight on Janome Canada Artisan: Ron Collins

Ron surrounded by his sewing fans and workshop particpants at The Saskatchewan Stitches Conference 2017. Here was was explaining some fine point of garment construction.

Ron Collins is a sewing star in Canada and beyond. He is a Saskatchewan guy who is known across Canada for his casual yet expert tuition offered in workshops to people wanting to learn more about pattern fitting and garment construction. You will find Ron on the stage or in a classroom at all the major sewing shows in Canada (Victoria, Abbotsford, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and more) plus he is kept super busy throughout the year conducting Sewing/Garment construction workshops in Dealer stores across Canada. Many of our Janome dealers host these “Ron Collins Sewing Retreats” at least once a year  – if not more often – so feel free to contact a Janome dealer in your area to find out if Ron will be visiting your area (Dealer locator is found in the top right corner of our website: http://www.janome.ca). Most of these retreats are sold out months ahead of time – Ron is one very popular guy!

Ron is at it again – there is always something new to learn from Ron as he has a treasure trove of tried and tested techniques and tips for sewing  and garment enthusiasts to learn how to create garments as exquisitely sewn as Ron’s garments.

Ron is also very well known for his starring role together with sewing icon Sandra Betzina on their series Power Sewing  on PBS TV programs as well as on DVD purchasable from Power Sewing. Watch this video where Ron explains how he got started and how his career has evolved.

Ron modelling his shirt made with Liberty lawn print and matching blue jeans. Every sewing detail is perfectly executed

Ron has recently become the very first male pattern designer to be invited by Vogue patterns to design patterns for their line of men’s fashions. There is one pattern available so far (see below) but more are in the pipeline. Ron explained humorously to us that this is about the equivalent in the sewing world of being asked to play for the NHL!

Ron’s first Vogue designer jacket pattern in the menswear line of patterns

We are very proud of Ron and his perfectly exquisite sewing expertise and achievements over many years of sewing in Canada. We are also very proud to say that Ron has been a long time Janome Artisan who exclusively uses Janome products for his sewing. Ron sews on the Janome Skyline S7;  the Pro4DX 4 thread serger; Janome 1200D – 5 thread serger and the CPX2000 coverhem machine.

Ron is all set up in his room at the Saskatchewan Stitches Conference – a retreat within a retreat….this is how Ron spends his evenings when workshops are over…….more sewing fun!!

Hard at work on the Janome 1600P with the Janome serger at the ready next to him.

Have you taken a workshop with Ron? I have and I learned a lot! You might want to register for one of his retreats this Fall or next Spring?

Have you attended one of Ron’s lectures at our sewing shows across Canada? Once again:  very entertaining +  a source of good sewing information. Edmonton & Calgary shows are coming up in September and the Creativ Festival in Toronto in October  – all great opportunities to learn from Ron.

Have you watched the Power Sewing video series (Ron + Sandra Betzina) ? If not, you are in for a treat of great sewing information.

And last but not least……we are SEW glad Ron is a Janome guy!

 

ALTERING READY TO WEAR GARMENTS SO EASILY WITH JANOME

I don’t know about you but I sometimes buy garments which need a little bit of alteration. Sometimes the price is right but the size may be  a little too big or need tweakings here & there. Or the sleeve and hem length needs adjustment (which is actually quite often as I have short arms and am not very tall….sigh). However, these sorts of alternations do not faze me in the slightest. Why? Well, for starters I have been making my own clothes since I was a teen so I’m pretty familiar with garment construction techniques. AND Janome makes things so very easy for us with their range of wonderful sergers and sewing machines. My Serger and my Coverpro do almost everything I need for the type of knit fabric garments I frequently make and alter. I also use my Janome sewing machine for top stitching , darts, decorative embellishment etc.

I purchased a rather nice white and navy striped tunic top/dress last summer. It was actually a tad too short for a dress and too long for a t-shirt length top but I wore it a few times and then it ended up at the back of the closet as something about it was not quite right. I have just dragged it out and given it a new length for a top I will wear!

This Ready to Wear T-shirt/tunic was at least 10 inches longer than shown here  – not at all a practical length for me.

Here is what I did:

• The fabric was a heavier weight t-shirt knit so I was able to get away without using stay tape in the hem of this top. Actually I use stay tape very frequently to ensure seams and hems lay flat and don’t pucker. This is a fact of life with thin, flimsy fashion knits but fortunately is easily overcome with stay tape.

I keep a supply of fusible stay tape in a variety of widths and colours so I always have some when I need it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• I did decide to use Steam-a-seam 2  on this top, the half inch width. I ironed/fused this to the wrong side of the cut edge of the hem and peeled away the paper. The hem was folded up carefully so that the stripe on the bottom was straight and even.  I could have pinned or used Clover clips but I wanted to ensure there was no slippage before/while I stitched it on my Janome CPX2000  because of the stripes  – hence the decision to use steam-a-seam 2.

BTW: Clover Wonder clips are available for purchase at most sewing and quilt stores (remember to support your local store or they may not be there when you need them!). Wonder clips are more expensive than pins but they serve a very good purpose and I simply would not manage without mine. I use them all the time and especially when serging as I find I have to stop to remove the clip which removes that danger of serging over a pin and damaging my serger blade in the process!  Tip: don’t be tempted to buy a cheaper, no name brand version of these clips. I did and they are not the same: some have broken already and most do not open as wide as the real deal. Cheap is invariably not the best.

• Press the hem fold in place. Steam-a-seam 2 is a fusible web product so this effectively gave a little more stability to the hem as well as avoided the need for any pinning. 
• The Janome CPX 2000 was threaded up with navy thread in 2 needles and the chainstitch looper as I required a 2 thread wide coverhem. As luck would have it, the 2 thread width was virtually exactly the same size as the navy stripe of the fabric.
• The Clearview foot for the Janome CPX 2000 (And other Janome Coverpro sergers) made my task SO much easier as I simply lined up the little markings on the front of the foot with the edges of my navy stripe and whizzed around the hem. 
• I also made sure to use the Looper Thread tension Switching Lever to ease my way over the 2 side seams of the T-shirt where there was bulkiness.  Switch from loose to tight to tweak tensions as necessary – it is that simple and effective.

Notice that the Janome Coverpro /CPX 2000 2 thread wide stitching is almost invisible so the overall result is much neater than the ready to wear version of hem I cut off this top/tunic!

And even the wrong side of the hem  is neat: this time the navy interlock stitching is positioned over the navy stripe and blends in rather well.

This entire process  took maybe 40-45 minutes to complete….left me wondering why I had not tackled this simple project months earlier and got more use from this top over the last year?!

What alternation adventures have you had lately and been as pleased with the results as I am with this one?

 

Announcing the winners of our Summer Janomelife giveaway.

This book is the summer giveaway …….we got quite a lot of entries so thank you for taking the time to tell us what sewing you are working on this summer. You all seem to be very busy stitching away on your Janome’s and having a wonderful time by the sound of it! WELL DONE ……we wish we could give you all a copy of this book! However,  we do have 3 lucky winners selected at random with 3 computer generated numbers matched to the order in which your entries came in.

1. Joan P whose local Janome dealer is Threads that Bind in Maxwell, Ontario

2. Judy W whose local Janome dealer is Toews Music and Sewing, Abbotsford, BC

3. Annette S whose local Janome Dealer is Haus of Stitches in Humboldt, Saskatchewan

CONGRATS, ladies! I will be contacting each of you in the next few days to arrange shipping of the book to either your local Janome dealer or to your postal address if you are unable to collect your prize at your dealer’s store. Please be sure to let Melissa Marginet, the author of the book, know how you liked her information on quilting with your walking foot.

Now proudly sponsored by Janome

And, if you did not win, you can still get the book: please contact Melissa at www.melissamarginet.ca  via her website if you would be interested in purchasing one of her books. She has a Contact me “button”.